Friday, July 24, 2015

Gethsemane Ashram, Changancherry

The friary is in the city limit. There is a Church which is a semi-parish for number of years. There are four hundred families who are looked after by the friars....daily Mass there are 200 people participating...good choir for the Mass too....every day there are two masses and many people before they go for work participate in the Eucharist....good number of school children drop in to pay visit to the blessed sacrament.....the people are very educated and most of them are working in the city....

There was a robbery just two days before....the thieves got into the church by breaking the windows and stealing the dumb boxes.....the friars are a little upset with the robbery....police came and checked and have promised to nab the culprits.....

The church and friary is just on the main road and you can hear the vehicle passing by every second....busy city of Changanacherry....known for church bells.....people from all over India come here to purchase the church bells....i am thinking of getting one for the General curia...

We had one hour of an eucharistic adoration....all the friars were present....i have prepared a prayer service which is used for the adoration.....

The community, young and Old Friars John, James, George Sibichen, James and Joman......

Br. George and Guardian.....just finished the dinner.....

Happy Feast to Br. James, the senior most.....he celebrated the Mass and two of us concelebrated....

Festal wishes to br, James...full of life and an exemplary friar...available for confession and counseling.....a lot of people come here as it is in the heart of the town.....

All smiles....it was good being with these friars....Individual dialogue and then common meeting....it was a wonderful time to share the happenings in the Order and the Church....spoke to them about the VIII CPO and the coming up Chapter of Mats in India in January 2016.....

We are happy here and would like to make you all happy...it is good be here.....